Battery terminal connecter



Jan. 6, 1931. J. E. FARRELL, JR

BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTER Filed 7 March 22, 1928 m M We Patented Jan. 6, 1931 corn E. rename, or i Application filed March 22, 1928. serial no. ace,

This invention relates to battery terminal connect/ere, and more particularly to a novel construction for facilitating the quick detachment of the connecter from the battery teral.

The diih'culty in disconnecting wire terminals of the t automobile an radio battery terminals is well how, the operation freguently re- .le quiring the use of a terminal puller or several hammer blows which injure the battery terminal and also prove annoying and expensive on account of the time consumed.

Accordingly, the present invention has 2115 primarily in view a novel construction consisting (a a tow substantial parts which may be economically manufactured and assembled, and when in use will permit of discern necting the wire terminal from the battery 2% terminal by the ordinary pressure exerted trout the joperators finger grip, or, if desired with the use oi the tool, though that has been found to be seldom necessary. In-

that connection the invention aims to provide a construction which will completely house and protect the battery terminal, thereby minimizing the sheet of corrosion and insuring a firm and positive engagement between the wire terminal and the battery terminal as which will improve the charging and discharging of the battery due to the lowering of resistance which otherwise results from a. poor connection.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which includes a part having an interiorly tapered wall, the taper being inwardly and downwardly, that is, converging toward the base of the battery terminal, and adapted to cooperate with terminal gripping elements in such a way that the manipulation of the releasing means will relieve the wedging engagement between the gripping elements and the member having the interior taper so that if necessary the latter may be subiected to a slight tap downwardly which will cause the inner faces of the battery gripping elements to disengage the battery terminal in event that it should happen to stick.

With the above and other objects in view e now generally used from OH, DESTRIQ'I 0F GQLIA mi eoncrnn which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement oi parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment ofthe invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is an elevation of the improved 66 construction.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

l i ure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the battery terminal grippin elements released from engagement with t e battery terminal.

Figure at is a bottom plan view.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one oi the segmental gripping elements.

'Slar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying the invention into efiect it is proposed to provide a wire camember or sleeve designated generally as A. and carrying therewith the wire B while the intorior thereof is provided with the cgiipping elements designated generally as or engaging with the battery terminal D when so manipulated by the actuator or cap E in the manner to be presently referred to more in. detail.

The sleeve A is preferably of hollow formation and is provided with an inverted e5 frusto-conical interior wall 1, that is to say,

a wall which is tapered inwardly and downwardly toward the base of the battery terminal D, thereby distinguishing from battery terminal connectors which have a; wall 9 tapered in the opposite direction, and which is objectionable because efiorts to remove the terminal by tapping only serve to wedge the gripping elements more tightly together. As previously indicated the present inven-.9 tion is constructed with the primary view that a minimum amount of force will be required to disconnect the entire device from the battery terminal, yet on the other hand, the device has been constructed with a view 1 to being able to efiiciently function in the event that the parts to be disconnected have for any reason become frozen to each other. The interior of the sleeve A is further provided at the wide end of the wall 1 with an exteriorly tapered portion 2 which is adapted to receive the externally threaded periphery 3 of the gripping element actuator or cap E. For the purpose of fascilitating the manipulation of the cap E the same is provided with an offset head 4 which is adapted to receive a transverse cross key 5 to render finger manipulation more comfortable, though it will of course be understood that the head 4 may be formed with angular faces to cooperate with a wrench or other tool.

The gripping elements or jaws C for engaging the battery terminal D are refer- .ably of segmental formation and eac comprise a body 6 having an outer tapered face 7 for engaging with the inwardly and down wardly inclined tapered wall 1 of the casing, and the vertical or substantially vertical inner battery terminal engaging face 8. The upper end of the body 6 may be slotted or otherwise suitably formed to provide a shoulder 9 adapted to be engaged by the head 10 of a gripping element supporting stud mounted on the inside face of the cap The effect of the engagement of the shoulders 9 with the head 10 is to hold the segments in abutting relation with the underside of the cap so that when the same is screwed downwardly into the casing the full force of the screw cap willbe delivered to the segments thereby to cause the inclined faces 7 thereof to engage the interior inwardly and downwardly tapering wall and thus force the faces 8 into firm binding contact with the binding'terminal D. On the other hand when it is desired to remove the connecter from the battery terminal the un screwing of the cap E will cause the head 10 to work against the shoulder 9 to thus effect a relative movement between the segments C and the casing A. There is sufiicient tolerance or play provided between the underside of the head 10 and the shoulder 9 of the inwardly directed flange 9a to permit of the cap being moved a slight distance before the under side ofthe head engages the shoulder 9.- For example this tolerance or clearance may be sufiicient to permit the cap to turn a quarter or half turn, thereby relieving the under side ofthe cap from pressure engagement with the upper side of the inwardly directed flange 9a so that continued movement of the cap under hand pressure will cause the under side of the head to engage the shoulder 9 to move the segments sufliciently to break the engagement between the inclined faces 7 of the segments C and the interior tapered bore 1 of the casing. If after the initial movement of the cap it is diflicult to continue the turning movement of the cap by finger pressure, the top of the will continue to move the sleeve A downward until suflicient space is provided between the inner side faces of the jaws and the interior tapered bore of the sleeve to permit easy removal of the connecter from the battery terminal D. It will, therefore, be apparent that the space or distance between the inner side of the head 10 and the under side of.

the cap 11-1is normally greater than the thickness of the inwardly directed flange 90.

Another distinctive feature of the invention resides in the provision of the gripping segments C whichmove radially with reference to the axis of the battery terminal D. The battery terminals are usually of lead or a soft composition, and due to the fact that the segments are firmly driven into contact with the soft metal of the terminal, the latter will key into the space between the segments when they are pressed or driven inwardly under the action of the'manipulating element E. In other words, the metal of the terminal will key into the spaces between the segments in such a way as to resist rotary movement or twisting of the connecter on the terminal which is a valuable and important feature, assuring that the terminal assumes permanent- 1y its initial set position. On the other hand,

this action does not retard quick removal of the connecter because when the manipulating element is turned to release the ip, the segments C will back away from t e ribs sutliciently to provide enough looseness to permit of the quick attachment of the connecter.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

g I claim 1. A battery terminal connecter including a hollow sleeve having an inwardly tapered interior wall, a cap rotatably interlocked with said sleeve, battery terminal gripping jaws having outer inclined faces cooperatin with the said tapered wall of the sleeve, sai jaws each having a cap abutting portion adapted to be engaged by the under side of the cap and also having a shoulder portion, and-a headed fastening carried by the under side of the cap a hollow sleeve having a threaded portion an having an inwardly tapered interior wall, a

and adapted to engage the shoulder portion of the jaws, to cause said jaws to clamp a battery post, or the like.

2. A battery terminal connecter including a hollow sleeve having an inwardly tapered interior wall a cap rotatably interlocked with said sleeve, battery terminal engaging jaws having outer inclined faces cooperating with said tapered wall of the sleeve, an inwardly directed flange on each jaw, a member at the under side of the cap and having a head whose face next to the cap is spaced farther from the cap than the thickness of the inwardly directed flanges of the jaws thereby to provide space to permit the cap to be readily partially rotated when the connecter is engaged with a terminal to start removal of the connecter before the head of the fastenmg engages said inwardly directed flanges of the aws.

3. A battery terminal connecter including cap rotatably engaging said threaded portion of the sleeve, battery terminal gripping jaws havin outer inclined faces cooperatin with the said tapered wall of the sleeve, sai jaws having cap engaging faces adapted to be engaged by the un er side of the cap when the connecter is be' a plied, and also having inwardly direct/e s oulder portions, and a member having a head carried by the underside of the cap, the underside of said head adapted to engage with the inwardly directed shoulder portions of the jaws, whereby upon movement of the ca to effect removal of the connecter the said ead will cause relative movement of the parts to forcibly break the connection between the jaws and the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOSEPH E. FARRELL, Jr. 

